Bitten Season 1, Episode 9 Recap: Attack and Defend

We've been following this project since it was first announced that an adaptation of Kelley Armstrong's novel Bittenwas in the works. And now, here it is! Check back weekly for episode recaps from Jackie Lester the day after the show airs in the U.S. on SyFy (and remember that in Canada the show will be airing a couple days earlier, on Saturdays on Space). Catch up with recaps for episodes 1x01, 1x02, 1x03, 1x04, 1x05, 1x06, 1x07, and 1x08.

Note: This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of Bitten, including last night's Season 1, episode 9, “Vengeance.” Enjoy!

Jeremy is back on his feet as this week’s episode opens up. He and Nick are sparring on the grounds with Stonehaven in view behind them. Jeremy, winded and favoring his side, is telling Nick that they “were unprepared when Santos and Leblanc attacked [them] on the side of the road,” that they were “caught off guard…[and Antonio] paid the price.” Nick says that won’t happen again. Jeremy doesn’t want Nick to let his emotions get in the way; he tells him “self-control is everything,” and who would know that better than Jeremy?

Nick asks who “picked the place” and it seems that a meeting has already been arranged between Jeremy and Koenig. Jeremy says it was a “mutually agreed upon” location. Nick wants to know if Jeremy has ever fought Koenig before. Jeremy admits he’s never “fought anyone from the pack…except [his] father.” Nick has faith that Jeremy can take Koenig out, indicating this is less of a “meeting” and more of a pre-arranged bout.

Jeremy doesn’t want to “underestimate Jimmy Koenig or his brutality.” He tells Nick that Antonio “made that mistake once and…regretted it the rest of his life.” We flash back to when Nick was six months old and Antonio had hair. Jeremy voices-over that he was supposed to pick up Nick and his dad to bring them back into the fold but was “told to stand down.” Antonio’s father had “sent Jimmy Koenig instead,” Antonio automatically assuming he’s there to kill him.

Koenig’s a Keith Richards looking guy with a harder edge and a shaggy haircut. As they talk, it’s clear that Antonio must have been very young because he mentions going through his own first change and how badly it had scared him. He apologizes to Koenig, knowing he’d made a mistake in trying to “raise Nick with his mother.” Antonio says he understands why the rules are in place; “sons need to be raised with their own, by the pack.” He tells Koenig he’s “doing the right thing now.”

Getting no response from Koenig beyond a silent stare, Antonio just asks Koenig to kill him quickly and take Nick to Jeremy. Koenig lets out a harsh chuckle, saying Dominic, Antonio’s father and Alpha at the time, is “pissed but he’s not stupid.” Koenig tells Antonio that he’s “next in line for Alpha” and that because he’s a Sorrentino, that seems to exempt him from the more extreme punishment he was expecting. Instead, Koenig tells him that “part of the deal” in Antonio rejoining the pack is that he takes care of a “couple of mutts that went astray,” the mutts gagged and bound in the trunk of Koenig’s car.

Young Antonio asks Koenig what they did but the former pack enforcer says, “that doesn’t matter,” telling him to “watch and learn.” Koenig grabs the first of the mutts and starts squeezing his neck in a hyoid-crushing death pinch, the enforcer all smiles while he does it. It really doesn’t look like a fun way to go. Antonio is expected to repeat this move on the other mutt. The younger version of Antonio is no less sympathetic and looks directly into the mutt’s eyes with regret. The whole time, Antonio is in tears as he carries out the task, the man dropping to his knees. Then we hear the final crunch. Koenig hands Antonio a shovel to bury the mutts.

As Koenig lights a cigarette, we hear Jeremy’s voice again saying that, “Antonio brought [Nick] back and never spoke of [his] mother again.” Nick replies with “Who knew bringing a baby boy into the world could cause so much trouble?” Call me crazy, but I feel a bit of foreshadowing going on here.

Jeremy adds that a few years after the incident, he’d asked Dominic who the men were that Koenig and Antonio killed. It turns out it had nothing to do with the then-Alpha and he “had no idea what [Jeremy] was talking about…[Koenig] forced [Antonio] to kill a man just for the sport of it.” Jeremy warns that Koenig is a “very strong fighter,” one who is able to focus on “the moment right before the kill...so that he can savour the second that he takes his victim’s life.” Jeremy warns Nick not to lose his own focus.

On another part of the grounds, Elena and Clay are getting in some practice time too. Elena is looking pretty mad; she’s not holding back any punches though Clay is able to deke most of them. He’s telling Elena she needs to “disassociate [herself] from what has to be done.” Elena is annoyed, telling Clay he doesn’t have “to teach [her] how to fight,” which she demonstrates with a few punch-kick manoeuvres then a resounding shove. Clay tells her it’s more about teaching her how to win, transferring the knowledge he’d gotten from Malcolm who in turn learned from Koenig himself. Elena asks if that includes “how to dehumanize your opponent” and it seems like she means this rhetorically but Clay answers “yes.”

They spar a little more until Clay catches Elena by the back of the thigh, flipping her onto her back, his hand at her throat. Clay says, “you think I’m bad, Koenig’s worse. Take everything you hate about me then take away the fact that I love you, that’s Koenig.” Clay releases his grip on Elena’s neck and offers a hand to help her up. She smacks it away, storming off at having been beaten. It’s hard to tell if it’s about Clay having the upper hand in the pretend fight or him voicing his true feelings that’s got her knickers all in a twist.

Nick arrives on scene to see Elena’s departure, commenting that he’s sorry he missed whatever had caused it. Clay asks if “Jeremy kicked [Nick’s] ass again.” Nick, a little shame-faced confirms he did, but says he “made him work for it” this time. They discuss Jeremy’s condition, Nick saying that regardless of the wound and poisoning, “80% Jeremy is better than 100% mutt.” Clay’s concerned he might not be ready for Koenig but all they can do is hope he is.

At a new industrial location, we see Leblanc standing outside a cage, looking in on a sack that’s moving and has muffled sounds coming from inside. He looks over at Santos on the phone who’s telling the person on the other end that “they got to Cain” and that he “can’t guarantee [Cain] didn’t tell them everything.” The other caller is revealed as Koenig who’s nonplussed at this news. Koenig tells Santos he had called Jeremy when he’d gotten closer and they’ve agreed “to settle it old school, like grown men.”

Koenig tells Santos that he’s meeting Jeremy at an “old…factory outside of Bear Valley.” Koenig tells Santos to stay away but the mutt leader thinks the pack will all show up with Jeremy and outnumber Koenig. Koenig just sees this as an opportunity to get rid of them all at the same time. While they’re speaking, Leblanc is listening in with great interest. Koenig signs off the call telling Santos he’ll “clean up [Santos’] mess.”

Credits.

Back in the creepy mutt lair, Leblanc is mocking Santos about the “hired gun giving [him] grief.” He’s questioning why Santos would even pay for Koenig “to kill Danvers,” saying he’d “do it for fun.” Amber, sipping on a beer, looks on at the disagreement with interest. It doesn’t appear that she’s gotten the news about Cain yet. Santos tells Leblanc to lay off the topic, attempting to assert dominance over Leblanc without much success.

Leblanc persists, saying he almost managed to get Jeremy in the roadside fight and wants the “chance to finish the job.” Further provoked, Santos spells out why it wouldn’t be a good idea for him to take on the pack single-handed: Clayton Danvers. Santos recounts the story of ten years prior when a mutt went to Stonehaven to challenge the Alpha. Santos says the mutt “end[ed] up in the garage, skinned alive.” Leblanc thinks that makes Clay and him peas in a pod. Santos corrects Leblanc by explaining the difference between the mutt’s sick sense of fun versus Clay’s intense sense of obligation. Santos continues by saying that “no mutt walks in [to Stonehaven] comes out whole, if he comes out at all.” This spurs Amber into action, asking about Cain. Santos tells her she’s deluded if she thinks Cain is still alive.

Santos pulls a bunny out of a small cage and drops it into a large black pouch. Leblanc describes it as “another rabbit run for Victor Olson,” again questioning Santos’s motives where the “kid diddler” is concerned. Leblanc once again thinks he can handle the duties that have been spread out amongst all the mutts taking orders from Santos. He says he can start with Joey Stillwell, which he indicates is the contents of the large moving sack from the beginning of the scene. Santos tells Leblanc not to touch him because he’s “saving him for Olson’s final training.” Leblanc is frustrated with the lack of anything useful to do. As Santos exits with the bunny in a bag, he tells Leblanc to have patience, his “time will come.”

With Santos gone, the sound of Amber weeping gets a little louder. Amber is saying that Cain “should have listened to” her; if he’d only bitten her, things would have gone so much better. Leblanc doesn’t have much patience for this, saying that “if Cain had been smarter, he’d still be” there. Amber’s haze seems to clear and she wipes away her tears then begins a string of compliments directed at Leblanc, like he’s “the smart one” of the bunch. She walks toward him, finally tempting his ire by saying he’s “stuck [there] babysitting the bait.” He grabs her by the throat, slamming her into the cage wall.

Instead of fear, Amber has an evil smile on her face, knowing she’s playing Leblanc exactly right. She whispers in his hear that “it must be hard,” making an accompanying gesture with her hand at the front of his pants, “being told to wait.” Leblanc says he “can handle Santos” but Amber is looking at the bigger picture: “the pack killed Cain” and “Elena is part of the pack.” Drawing the connecting lines, she reminds Leblanc that Elena broke his wrist, saying that killing Elena would allow Leblanc to “be the man [he] really” is. Leblanc releases her and walks away.

Jeremy is standing by his favourite fireplace at Stonehaven letting out a sigh. Nick tells him he’s not ready for the fight. Once again, Jeremy says “it’s fine.” Clay and Elena walk in, Clay asking if they’ve heard from Logan yet. Logan has touched base and is supposed to arrive “by night fall,” meaning they’re “going to have to do this without him.” Elena expresses concern that Koenig has set up a trap but Jeremy says, “Koenig prefers to work alone,” that being “part of an ambush would be beneath him.” Jeremy talks about the many changes and losses that have occurred over the past weeks and the emotional toll it’s taken on them all. He promises they will end it based on their strength as a family and, in turn, the strength that gives him.

The view switches to a sonogram. Rachel happily calls the image their “little gummy bear.” Everything looks healthy with the baby according to the technician who next asks if they want to know the sex of the baby. Logan doesn’t even hesitate as he says, “Yes!” Rachel jokes that Logan’s practicality has him already picking out colleges but we all know better. The tech points to a “little thing” visible to her on the screen and congratulates them on the impending birth of their…dun dun dun…baby boy. The camera closes in on Logan’s face, which does not look happy at all.

Philip is wandering around his condo, looking at his laptop like it’s a portent of something very bad…maybe a cheating girlfriend or something? He focuses in on the necklace again but doesn’t have time to dwell as Diane knocks and enters. Typical Diane, she’s blathering on about finally booking a gallery exhibition for Elena. She’s found a venue but needs to up the date to the coming weekend. Now all she needs is the artist to answer her phone or come home or whatever. She’s trying to recruit Philip to help her prep. Philip wants “quid pro quo” as he tries to make sense of things, showing Diane the picture of the stack of clothes and the necklace. Diane thinks he’s crazy, that “there’s a reasonable explanation for it.” She encourages him to speak to Logan to “put [his] mind at ease.”

Jeremy is standing at the abandoned factory, his hands on his hips, watching Koenig drive in. Koenig exits the car, his shaggy hair from the flashback a thing of the past. He makes a snide remark about the lack of “fanfare,” a “welcome home sign” or “a bouquet.” Jeremy says “we’ll save that for the funeral.” Koenig flicks his lighter menacingly and tells Jeremy the funeral will be his.

Koenig uses his lighter to ignite a cigarette and begins a string of banter with Jeremy about how long it’s been (“not long enough” according to Jeremy) and how retirement just wasn’t a good fit for Koenig. Jeremy tells Koenig he “could’ve said no” to this job. Koenig sees it as an opportunity to “shake off the rust,” keeping himself prepared in case anything ever “jump[s] out of the shadows” at him. They’re circling each other warily as they talk. When Koenig stops, he breathes deeply, a low growl underscoring the actions.

From a scent in the air he’s aware now that Jeremy is not alone. Jeremy assures the former enforcer that he’s “ordered them not to get involved.” Clay and Elena walk out of the building, followed by Nick from another door. Koenig expresses disappointment at the small number of pack members that have come although he was already aware of “membership in the pack dwindling.” Once again, Jeremy tells Koenig that this is only between them but Koenig promises to kill them all once he’s done with Jeremy. All of this while “barely work[ing] up a sweat” too.

Koenig butts out his cigarette but not before blowing smoke directly into Jeremy’s face. Jeremy doesn’t delay any longer and goes for the first punch. He gets a couple of good hits on Koenig, who comments that, “Malcolm’s son still has some fight in him.” They resume the fight, this time Koenig catching Jeremy with a wicked punch to where he’d been stabbed. He knew about this weakness and took full advantage of it. Koenig gets in behind Jeremy, landing some punches around his kidney area.

Elena wants Clay to step in but he tells her it’s “Jeremy’s fight.” Nick goes in to help and gets caught by Koenig and is tossed right into Clay and Elena, knocking them all down. Rather than finish Jeremy off, Koenig runs towards the stairs and neatly hops over the handrail at the top of them. He looks back and laughs at the scene, running into the factory. Jeremy tells the gang to “split up and find him.”

Back at Logan’s townhouse, Rachel is all excited about decorating the baby’s room. As they’re walking down the stairs, Logan has a bag in his hand, ready to head back as planned to Stonehaven it appears. Rachel wants dinosaurs, but Logan thinks they’d be scary for a newborn. This seems a strange observation when Logan knows for a fact there are much scarier things out there in the world. Rachel clears the confusion by saying she meant “cute, cuddly dinosaurs not flesh tearing monsters with bloody, pointed teeth.” Ha! Little does she know…

Rachel tells him it doesn’t matter how they decorate, it’s more about the family dynamics and the baby knowing he’s loved. Logan looks worried. Rachel tells him she’s “knows what’s going through [his] head.” Logan tells her she “couldn’t possibly.” At least he’s being honest about this. Rachel is interpreting things as stemming from his own father not being around, creating doubt in him that he’ll make a good dad. She says he’s “an open book to” her. Poor girl.

To help matters, she has a gift for him. Logan unwraps it to find a picture of the Danvers clan, complete with Antonio and Pete. Rachel thinks that Logan was raised right, maybe not by his own father, but the family in the image. He seems moved in some way by gesture and seeing his family there, the two worlds surely hurtling towards collision.

Clay is kicking in doors at the factory. He hears a noise, maybe a pipe breaking, and runs to check it out. Elena and Nick are together in another hallway. Elena sees a still-lit cigarette sitting on a metal rail and looks at Nick knowingly. Nick heads off in one direction having been directed by a slight nod of Elena’s head; she goes a different way. Jeremy, still holding his wounded side gingerly, opens a random door. He hears a noise behind him and goes to see what made it. Nick looks up and down a staircase that has many levels to it. Elena walks slowly through another room, her heels too loud for discretion. She passes through the door only to be grabbed around the neck by Leblanc, who tells her he’s “been waiting for this.”

Leblanc has Elena’s face pressed into the brick wall, a knife held up to it. She tells him the pack is with her, that he “doesn’t know what [he’s] dealing with.” He repeats the words back to her, adding on “about the things [he] can do to” her. She elbows him, knocking him down then makes a run for it. Clay is tiptoeing around piles of garbage inside the building while Nick still seems to be deciding whether to go up or down the stairs.

Outside, a homeless woman is crawling out of her lean-to. Elena is running right at her, yelling for the woman to get down. Leblanc isn’t far behind. Elena manages to pull the woman down as a gunshot rings out. She tells the woman to get to “the other side of the building.” Then Elena is up and pushing the girl to get her moving when Leblanc fires another shot. This one catches Elena in the shoulder. Inside, Clay and Nick hear the shots from the separate locations and go running, Jeremy already on the move. Leblanc is moving fast, saying there’s “nowhere to run, Elena.”

Elena crawls into the woman’s makeshift home, breathing hard. She pushes cardboard and metal out of the way, things that had been set in place to act as walls. She’s moving down the row, a few sections over from where she started, pausing to take off her jacket, when Leblanc catches up. He doesn’t see her in the first area so he starts shooting randomly along the construct. Elena’s doing her best to dodge the bullets while still moving and injured.

Jeremy hasn’t stopped running, but pauses briefly as he hears each shot. Another sounds off and he’s looking in the opposite direction when Koenig jumps down onto him from the top of the wall. Jeremy’s mad enough that he gets in a couple of nice hits then a solid kick that has Koenig flying through the air in slow-mo. It looks like Jeremy might have the upper hand here, but Koenig bounces back quickly, landing a few good hits of his own.

Leblanc is still shooting outside, telling Elena “I’m coming for you.” She’s not being quiet as she moves, going forward but trying to watch her back also. Leblanc shoves some of the junk to the side, looking along the space, but sees it’s empty. Elena has managed to crawl out of the shelter and under a piece of nondescript machinery.

Clay is running down hallways, stuck in the maze of the abandoned factory. He finds a boarded up window and yanks it clear. He’s able to watch as a woman is running through the lot outside, ponytail swinging in the air. Leblanc sees this too and opens fire, catching the woman square in the back. Clay yells out “No, Elena!” Elena is watching from under the equipment where she’s hidden to see the homeless woman drop in front of her, eyes still open.

Clay is screaming as he starts running again to make his way outside. Leblanc is walking towards the body saying, “it’s payback time.” Leblanc rolls the woman over to discover it wasn’t Elena he shot. He offers a weak “Damn,” then shoots the woman twice in the chest. Elena tries to muffle her cries and Leblanc leans down to readjust the Velcro strap on his shoe. Elena is shaking as Leblanc walks away singing her name.

Inside, Jeremy and Koenig are still going strong, matching each other hit for hit, kick for kick. Jeremy tosses Koenig into a large concrete pole but the move backfires as Koenig returns the move and lifts Jeremy up against it with one hand, the Alpha’s feet far off the ground. Jeremy punches down on Koenig’s shoulder and is back in the game. He tosses Koenig into a conveniently placed rack of shelving but Koenig discovers a pipe and begins to beat Jeremy with it. Elsewhere, Nick opens a door and hears the struggle.

Jeremy is on the floor, taking blow after blow with the pipe. He manages to catch Koenig in mid-swing, landing a couple of hits though barely able to get off the floor. There’s a quick flash to show Clay still running through the hallways then back to the big fight. Both men are on their feet, looking at each other to take measure. Koenig throws a punch at Jeremy’s face and it’s met with no resistance. Jeremy looks back at Koenig, who levels another punch, repeating the cycle of a hit met with stony-faced defiance. Finally, Koenig goes in for his signature neck pinch, telling Jeremy they “both knew it would end this way.” Jeremy’s eyes roll as Koenig squeezes his neck harder.

Nick walks in (in the nick of time, ha!), smacking Koenig’s arm a few times then catching him in the same lethal grip he’d held Jeremy. Nick squeezes till Koenig is down on his knees, holds it an extra beat or two, then snaps Koenig’s neck with a quick twist of his head. Jeremy, shaken and bleeding, looks at the dead body then at Nick who looks back at his Alpha, a bit shell shocked to say the least.

Clay has finally found the out door and looks around. Leblanc is walking around singing, “where are you?” Elena is watching from her hiding spot, but is stunned when the change begins to happen signified by the pounding heartbeat. She calls out from the pain, the beat getting louder. She says, “No, please stop. Please…stop” Clay’s running, calling her name, Leblanc looking everywhere with his gun pointed. Elena’s spine ripples with the inevitable morph.

Elena’s fingers are bulging, the change well on its way. Leblanc can hear her now as she’s unable to hold back the noise. He smiles. She appears to be under the car right behind him. As he switches directions he asks “what piece of [her] should [he] put in his scrap book?” and begins a morbid list. Elena can’t respond for the pain coursing through her body, the bulging muscles noticeable in her arm. Clay comes bolting out from behind the building; Leblanc notices and fires three shots. Clay manages to duck behind a cluster of metal cans.

The view switches back to Elena, the sound of the heartbeat now slowing down. She looks at her hand as the change stops. Clay peeks out from behind the cans to see Leblanc head back towards Elena. Looking under the car, Leblanc discovers she’s gone.

Elena is back on the run and ducks down behind a different car. She’s looking in the direction she came from and then behind her, panic still evident on her face. She’s moving backward trying to find the next place to hide. She turns to run again and nearly screams when she’s caught by Clay. Elena takes a moment to calm down aided by Clay saying “It’s me, darlin’, it’s me.” They hug each other tightly in relief.

Logan is putting his bag into the back of his convertible. He’s caught off guard by Philip calling out to him, asking for five minutes of his time. Philip recaps the story of the video and the pile of clothes. At the mention of wolves, Logan acts sufficiently surprised. Philip says “she was supposed to be running with [him] that night.” Logan confirms they had been running, though Philip didn’t actually mention what night it was, nor could Philip even know the date unless he got that information from Nate, who is already suspect enough.

Philip is desperate now to learn why Elena would “be naked at Cherry Beach in the middle of the night.” Logan, a smooth customer these days with the lies, tells Philip that because of a fight he’d had with Rachel, he and Elena jogged and then “went for a swim.” He swears they never saw any wolves either. Logan thinks it’s all a “big, big misunderstanding” and talks about the different coping mechanisms the family has for dealing with their troubles at the moment. He tries to reassure Philip that Elena “is very anxious to get back to” him.

Philip looks at Logan like he doesn’t really believe him but thanks him anyway and moves to leave. Beside the door, the picture that Rachel had just given Logan sits on a table and does not go unnoticed by the increasingly suspicious Philip. When he asks about it Logan tells him “it’s [the] family in Bear Valley.” Philip asks which one is Jeremy, so Logan points him out. Then Philip points to Clay, asking who he is. Logan describes him as “our cousin Clay,” seemingly oblivious to the fact that Elena’s hand is lying suggestively on Clay’s thigh. Philip doesn’t miss it at all.

Philip thanks Logan, a bit halfheartedly, for the talk. Philip walks away, Logan watching as he leaves. He notices a package on the doorstep marked “Express Delivery” and addressed to him. He looks around warily.

Santos has somehow gotten hold of Leblanc and tosses him into a cage. He’s telling Leblanc that he was told “to stay out of this and that Elena Michaels is off limits,” the ‘off limits’ part yelled like Santos might be losing it a little bit. Leblanc claims he was “just toying with her” (yet shot a woman in the back because he thought she was Elena.) Right.

Leblanc mocks Santos for the failure of his “so-called professional.” Santos isn’t worried about Koenig now and tells Leblanc instead to “think about what [he’s] just done.” (A lame version of a werewolf timeout, perhaps?) Leblanc in a manner more like glee than regret says he will “think about it.”

Amber creeps out of the shadows saying it’s a “shame that bullet didn’t connect.” Leblanc wants Amber to let him out, of course. She uses this as a bargaining chip, saying she wants to “feel what it’s like to get revenge” and convinces him to bite her. Leblanc removes his glasses and starts to unbutton his shirt. (This partly answers the question about having to be bitten by a wolf in wolf form for it to take effect.)

Logan has unwrapped his second present of the day, this one making him hit the hard liquor. Rachel comes in, asking him why he hadn’t left for Bear Valley yet. She sees the gift and asks who it’s from. Opening the box, she (and we) see it’s a silver baby rattle, the card reading “IT’S A BOY!” Logan asks if Rachel has told anyone and she says she hasn’t. There wasn’t even enough time since the ultrasound had only happened earlier that day. She asks him the same question and he says he “must have let it slip to Elena.” Logan tells her he’s not going to go to Stonehaven just yet. This is not going to bode well if he keeps this up these avoidance tactics but not wanting to leave Rachel alone is at least reasonable.

Jeremy is cleaning and stitching up Elena’s wound in the kitchen back at Stonehaven. He’s telling her that “between the trauma to [her] body and the anxiety” it understandable that she’d “be exhausted.” Clay’s pacing around the kitchen looking on. Elena, taking a page from Jeremy’s book, says she’s “fine.” Jeremy says the bullet only grazed her though it still looks like a fairly angry wound. He says he “feel[s] responsible that they were not together when it all went down and asks what happened exactly. She tells them about being trapped under the car and panicking, “trigger[ing] the change.”

Jeremy comments that when she was found, she was in human form. She tells them that she “focused and it stopped” the change. Jeremy stops stitching and looks at Clay. Clay repeats “It stopped?” while Jeremy says that it’s “never…happen[ed] before. He says that, “once a full change is triggered it’s impossible to reverse it.” Clay asks how it happened but Elena says she doesn’t know, “it just happened.”

Jeremy thinks Leblanc could have killed Elena easily when she was part way through the change, which has her ticked off because “he didn’t.” Jeremy tries to clean her other scrapes but she’s out of the room in no time flat, not interested in any more conversations apparently. That leaves Jeremy and Clay looking at each other, no doubt a million questions about this new twist running through their minds.

Amber’s wandering around the secret lair, talking to wolf-Leblanc about her desire for revenge. She’s bad mouthing Cain along the way for his inability to bite her. She tells Leblanc again that the trade is a bite from him for his release from the cage. She asks the wolf if he understands the agreement without hope of getting an answer considering he’s already changed. Oh boy.

She sticks her arm in through one of the spaces, telling the wolf it doesn’t “have to be gentle.” It isn’t. The wolf does release her hand intact though with just a new bite to accompany the rings she didn’t bother to take off. Amber licks the blood on her arm and vows revenge for Cain as she begins to disrobe, saying “It’s all for you baby, all for you.” What she doesn’t do is unlock the cage door.

A night view at Stonehaven makes the mansion look pretty scary. Nick’s pouring himself a stiff drink as Jeremy walks down the stairs with an empty glass in his hand. He asks Nick if he can join him. Nick is looking at a history book, the one about the Sorrentinos. Jeremy compliments Nick on his actions of the day, telling him his “father would have been very proud.” Nick tells the Alpha he was right about Koenig letting his guard down in that last second before his attempt to kill Jeremy was completed. It was foreknowledge that Jeremy had given Nick that enabled him to come to the rescue. Nick questions whether Jeremy did this on purpose, allowing the opportunity for Nick to step up. Jeremy says with a laugh that Nick “just had very good timing.” They toast to the “job well done.”

Nick says they’ve been so busy that they haven’t had the time to disperse Antonio’s ashes. Jeremy offers to go the Sorrentino estate right away. Nick grabs the urn and off they go.

Elena is sitting by the fire. Clay walks in and Elena stands up. Anticipating her next move, Clay says “for once, don’t leave, just stay.” He tells her she doesn’t “have to pretend with” him. Elena cries, asking what would have happened if Leblanc “had been a better shot or if [she] hadn’t been able to control the change.” Clay moves from standing behind her to in front. He says he “thought [he’d lost her today but [she’s] safe.” The important part is that she’s there with him.

Their foreheads are almost touching, the conversation so intimate. Clay’s hands are lightly touching Elena’s arms as she reaches up to touch his chest, then kisses him. There’s a lot of kissing and frenzied undressing at this point. Clay’s backside makes its return after at least a week’s absence, as well as the rest of him and Elena being bared. They give in to the passion that has been anticipated since the first episode.

Morning at Stonehaven and Elena is doing the walk of shame. Clay, faking sleep, sighs in understanding.

At Santos’ lair, Amber is making strangled noises that aren’t human or animal. Her body is disfigured in a wrinkled, furry skin suit horrific way. She crawls over to the cage containing Leblanc. He says to her it’s “not the joyride [she] thought it’d be, is it?” He laughs as she falls to the floor.

In Elena’s room, her cell phone buzzes, caller ID indicating it’s Logan. He’s left her a message and Elena, just finished with her shower, listens as he tells her “something’s come up” at home and he needs to speak to her pronto…and “alone.” There’s another message right after from Diane, her excited voice telling Elena about her upcoming “debut.”

Fully dressed, she walks downstairs and finds Jeremy in the foyer. He asks if she’s going to Toronto. Elena tells him about the “photography show.” Jeremy tells her that he knows how hard she’s worked for it and she’s “happy that [he] understands.” Jeremy wants Elena to also “check in with Logan,” that he’s “very concerned about what’s been keeping him away from Stonehaven.” He has one last thing to add before she goes…

Jeremy reiterates how “dangerous [it is] to be separated from the pack right now.” He doesn’t want to take unnecessary risks where Elena’s safety is concerned. To that end, he’s “send[ing] Clay back with” her.” Uh oh.

Clay just happens to be walking along the hall towards them as this conversation plays out. Elena tells her Alpha that she doesn’t “want Clay in Toronto and [Jeremy] know[s] why.” She tries to argue it away but Jeremy tells her it “is not a negotiation, [she] either [stays at Stonehaven] or Clay goes with” her. He ends the discussion by asking her to let him know what her decision will be, making it clear that “those are [her only] choices.”

End credits.

Jackie Lester imagines a day when she can make a living as a writer. Until then, she reviews eclectic books at My Ever Expanding Library and lives in small-town Ontario with her daughter.

Wow, the fight scenes between Jeremy and Koenig were well done and neatly choreographed. I liked the shadow element.

Leblanc was creepy. The actor playing him (CC) is doing an excellent job of making my skin crawl. I can't wait for Elena to kill him.

So Santos turned Victor? Whatever he has planned for Elena must be awful. Does he want to hurt Elena in order to destroy Clay or does he want to emotionally break Elena for another purpose? Sometimes I think he either wants to use her to destroy the wolf hierarchy or have her by his side ruling his mutt crew. Santos doesn't strike me as the type of wolf who loves anyone, stays loyal to anything or shares power, so we'll have to stay tuned to understand his motives.

What is to become of poor, spiteful Amber? Loved how she manipulated Leblanc. She would be a badass alpha female in Santos' mutt pack. A part of me wants her to become a wolf and seek revenge. Bitten does fight scenes very well. I imagine the fight between Amber and Elena going ovaries to the wall, Kill Bill style. Elena as Beatrix. Amber as Elle Driver. Alas, I don't think Amber survived the change.

Logan is going to be a man with a lot of regrets in the future. Santos knows about the baby. You could see Logan's fear, disappointment and sadness on his face in the doctor and picture scenes. Either he dies or Rachel dies at the end of Season one. The longer he puts off telling his pack about the pregnancy, the more dangerous things will become.

I am so disappointed with Elena. Poor Philip! We knew the Elena/Clay hook up was comming. I thought it would come after her relationship with Philip had deteriorated. The sex scene was hot. Loved the side nudity & cowgirl position.

Why does Clay have to go with Elena to Toronto? Nick wasn't available? Jeremy doesn't leave the Fortress of Solitude Stonehaven, like ever?

I liked this episode a lot. Jimmy Koenig as the antgonist was great. Daniel is only interested in getting his prize, Elena. Somehow I don't think the power behind the Mutts, is Karl Marstan.
I noticed Jeremy's dad has been mentioned more than once this episode (and mentioned in the previous episode). He sounds like formidable foe. I wonder if he is not behind the Mutt vs Pack battle.

I think Jeremy gave Nick that kill (Jeremy showed he is a strong, logical, an effective hand to hand fighter, when he beat Boggs at Stone Haven). Clay mentioned Malcom taught him, how to humanize and fight his opponents. So, again I wonder if its not Malcom as the puppet master.

Philip, if my significant other went swimming with their opposite sex cousin, it would be a red flag. It is not cool. Philip also saw Logan's picture of the pack, and I bet he thought, Jeremy was Clay, since Elena had her hand on his leg, and seemed to be leaning into him. Philip has better chemistry with his sister. He's really a handsome man.

Elena, puts it out there that Clay continuously hurts her, when what I see is the exact opposite. I really wish Clay could move on.

Logan, now knows it's a boy. He'll have to tell Rachel, or take the kid when it's sixteen. Maybe he'll take the child while it'still a baby, like Antonio did.

Amber, I knew she would be a nasty wolf. Ewww!
So I'm convinced there is more, Other to Elena, which makes her special. It also allowed her to stop changing into a wolf midway, through. Does somene else know Elena's true heritage?

@Spikesgurl: I am currious about Elena's heritage as well. Whatever her super natural lineage is, Jeremy has some clue about it. I think there was more to his, "we're the same" line from 108 than he was letting on.

I had really high hopes for this series because the books featured a strong, kick ass female lead, but the tv show has turned Elena into a whiny, petulant bitch who uses the fact that clayton loves her as a weapon to make him feel like crap. Laura V finally had some more expressions on her face than slack jawed imbecile - thank all that's holy. I was seriously getting sick of seeing her mouth hang open and slack, wide eyed stare every episode.

Clay is a doormat, bowing down and letting Elena walk all over him. Last week's convo with Cain was painful and gut wrenching but this version of Elena doesn't deserve a man that loves her like Clay loves her. It's really sad to watch the destruction of such a greatly written story into the same drivel that's all over the small screen.

The backstory has been nearly non-existent, so we don't understand that Elena is looking for the fairy tale - the husband and 2.5 kids in the perfect suburb that she never had as a kid and how much Clay biting her has derailed that fantasy. This Philip is nothing like the character that book!Elena loved - instead he's more like Anders from Battlestar Galactica, a throwaway character that grew legs and took over the plot.

I'll keep watching because I want to see how they manage to get out of the mess they've written, but I'm really disappointed in the storyline and the utter waste of Antonio's character.

@stacymd2, I wonder about Clay as well. If the heritage wolves make their first change around the age of sixteen, how was it that a seven year old, was able to handle the change and not die. Clay would have to be an anomaly in the wolf world, also. He had to have been special as well. The ony thing we seem to know is Clay stayed in wolf form mostly, until Jeremy found him. You have to wonder why an adult werewolf would bite a small child.

I also think Amber did not survive the change.

Perhaps Philip, will be the only human who knows of the wolves existence, if he and Elena are determined to stay together. Elena is holding onto the guy for dear life.

@Spikesgurl: You bring up a good point about Clay. Why would an adult werewolf, knowing how brutal the change is, bite an 8 year old boy? Plus, after the bite Clay was left alone. Jinkies! I think we have another mystery on our hands. If Bitten gets a Season 2 I hope we learn about Clay, Logan, Jeremy and Elena's lineage.

@angylinni: I don't think Elena is whinny at all. She is being hard on Clay, but with good reason. Clay lied to her about who he is and the life they would have together. He drastically altered her life and any future plans she may have had when he turned her.

Bitten has shown that, "Clay biting her has derailed that fantasy," of a "husband and 2.5 kids in the perfect suburb," in the way Elena interacts with and has built a life with Philip & his family. She yearns for a normal life.

How is wanting a husband, home and 2.5 kids a fairytale or fantasy? That is what most people want, strive for and achieve.

Since Elena has been back to Stonehaven and pack life, it has been non stop death and violence. Who wants to live like that even with supernatural powers and a devoted partner?

I also think it is more than the bite/change that she is angry at Clay for. I think she is also angry at being forced to kill and punish mutts with Clay in the following four years after the bite.

@Spikesgurl: Jeremy's dad is dead, Jeremy killed him a long time ago, thats how he became alpha, real wolves are the same, im not sure if they kill the alpha or just fight until he submits and the new alpha takes his place, but in the supernatural world thats how its done they fight to the death and a new alpha rises and runs the pack until another one challenges him or his son takes over.